She Could be from Santa Fe
by Roxy1
Summary: A small girl finds herself in the Newsies lodging house, she and Jack quickly bond, she's like a little sister to him, her Aunt then comes to take her back to Connecticut. It's five years later, and they've both grown up....*R&R please**
1. The girl is found

The rainy, New York streets glowed under the incandescent light from the moon. The small girl wandered on, tired and famished. She stopped in front of a building, she couldn't go on anymore. On the front was a sign that read, "Newsboys Lodging House." She shrugged, she wasn't a boy and she didn't sell newspapers, but it would have to do for now.  
She slowly walked up the steps and around the corner to her left. She stopped suddenly when she saw a man sitting at a counter, quietly flipping through papers. He sighed deeply. She took a step back to retreat, but just as she did the wood floor creaked from under her.  
The man looked up suddenly alert. The girl squeezed herself into a small corner, hiding in the shadows.  
The man stood up from his stools, "Anybody there?" His vice was raspy, but it suited his attributes well.  
She tucked her body closer into the small corner. He stepped around the door, he was getting closer.  
"Hellooooo," he said.  
She shut her eyes tightly, and prayed to god she wouldn't be found.  
"Well what have we here," too late.  
She looked up at the man, frightened.  
He was old, with a brown hat, gray tufts sticking out of the sides. His face was calm and gently, reassuring to the young girl. His soothing eyes sat hidden behind eyeglasses.  
"I won't hurt you," he said gently.  
She just looked at him, still unsure of whether she should trust him.  
"C'mon, get up and tell me your story."  
She slowly took her arms down from her knees, and stood up.  
"Ahh, you're a cute little thing, tell me, tell me, what brought you here?" he asked.  
He put his hand on her back and led her to a chair next to his, behind the counter.  
He motioned for her to sit, she did.  
"Now, tell me why you're here," he said again.  
"I-I…." she started but couldn't finish.  
"Yes…?" he asked.  
"My parents died in a strike two days ago, and…and…" she sobbed quietly letting a tear roll down her cheek.  
He rubbed her shoulder reassuringly.  
"Now that they died, I have to stay with my Aunt, and I don't like her very much, so I ran away," she sniffled then wiped her face.  
"You ran away, and came here?" he asked.  
"I tried to last as long as I could without sleep or food, and this is how far it brought me," she explained.  
"You know this is a Lodging house for Newsies, don't ya?"  
She nodded her head, yes.  
"Alright, you can stay, but tomorrow you're gonna sell papes with the boys, they'll show you the ropes," he said.  
She nodded again.  
"Here, come with me, I'll show you where you can sleep."  
They walked a flight of stairs and soon found themselves in a room filled with sleeping boys.  
"There are no empty beds left, so you're gonna have to share with one of the boys, here ya go, sleep here," he pointed his lantern towards a bed.  
She walked timidly over, and hopped into bed with her, her head lined up with his. She fell asleep quickly. 


	2. The girl is lost

The next morning she woke up to the sound of Kloppman.  
"Get up! Get up!" he yelled, "C'mon Jack! Get up! Sell those papes!"  
She opened her eyes and looked at the boy beside her. His brown, tousled hair framed his handsome face perfectly.  
He slowly opened his eyes; he nearly jumped out of his bed once he found the small girl right in front of his face.  
"Who're you?!" he asked.  
"My name's Ashley," she replied.  
He calmed down realizing she was a harmless little girl, "What are you doing here?" he asked.  
"I ran away from home so I could sell papes with you," she answered simply.  
He laughed, "Ah, I see."  
He got up from his bed, he looked back at her, "Youse a cute lil goil, how old'r ya?"  
"Nearly twelve," she answered.  
"Well ta everyone else youse ten, the youngest sells more papes," he replied.  
She nodded, smiling.  
"Youse me new selling partner, lemme get ready and we'll start our day," he explained and walked over to his friends.  
"Cowboy, whose the goil?" Race asked Jack.  
"Kloppman musta brought'r in, cute ain't she?" he asked.  
"Yeah," Race said as he pulled a comb through his hair.  
When the boys were ready to start selling papes, Jack grabbed Ashley and they began their day.  
Over a month passes and Ashley and Jack had become an inseparable team of Newsies, he had made her a pro.  
They had just finished their afternoon shifts, then got something to eat at Tibby's, and found themselves back at the Lodging House.  
Jack had Ashley, laughing on his back as he came striding into the LH, Newsies trailing shortly behind.   
All the Newsies went upstairs, shortly after starting poker games, Race making bets on every one.  
Ashley sat on Jack's lap, cheering him on.  
"Ashleyyyy! Ashleyyy! Come down 'ere a minute!" Kloppman yelled from downstairs.  
She went downstairs to find Kloppman, with a lady younger than him, but much older than Ashley.  
"Ashie, this lady says she's your aunt," Kloppman said, concerned, but sad.  
She just stood there, speechless and frightened.  
"Ashley Elizabeth! You are leaving this place, right now!" her Aunt yelled, but of course in a girlish tone.  
Her Aunt was a tall slender woman, her brown hair always tied in a tight bun. She was very esteemed, and strict.  
"No! You're not taking me!" Ashley yelled.  
"Yes I am, come here, NOW!" she yelled back.  
"No! This is where I wanna stay! They're my family, they've been so great to me, and I'm making my own money! I love them!" Ashley yelled, tears streaming down her face.  
Jack heard the yelling and leaped from his chair, quickly leaving the boys behind, confused. He flew down the stairs to find Ashley sobbing loudly.  
"Jack!" she exclaimed, running over and jumping on him.  
He held her tightly as she wrapped her legs around his waist.  
"What's wrong?" he whispered.  
She pulled her face from his shoulder and looked him in the eye, "My Aunt is trying to take me away, let me stay Jack, let me stay!" she said, and a new batch of tears began to flow from her eyes.  
Jack held her tighter as she wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him.  
He looked ahead and saw the lady who was Ashley's aunt. He could tell she was rich, not only from her clothes, but the expression on her face, as her niece hugged, "the street rat."  
"Ashley, COME!" her Aunt walked over and yanked her down from her friend.  
By this time, all the Newsies had come down to see what the commotion was about.  
"Jack! No! Don't let her take me Jack! PLEASE JACK!"  
A small tear rolled down his cheek, he wiped it quickly so no one would see, and shut his eyes so he wasn't tempted to grab the girl that had become his sister, back.  
She ripped herself away and ran back to him, grabbing his knees.  
She looked up at him and said, "I promise I'll come see you Jack, I promise."  
He bent down to hug her, and kissed her on the forehead.  
Her Aunt stormed over and grabbed her, Ashley didn't put up a fight.  
"We are taking you back to Connecticut, FAR AWAY from this place!"   
Her Aunt nodded to Kloppman, her way of saying thanks without words, and dragged Ashley out of the Lodging House.  
The only thing Jack could think of now was, "I hope she keeps her promise," and with that the Newsies went upstairs to bed, expecting an almost normal work day tomorrow. 


	3. The girl is....?

Now five years later, Jack is nineteen and still sellin' papes. He's gone through many things since Ashley left, including a strike, and of course, girls.  
  
"Extra! Extra! Fire in the Bronx, thousands killed!" Jack yelled, improving the truth.  
"I'll take one of those," a girl said.  
  
His heart skipped a beat when he saw her. She was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. She was tall, about 5'8, with brown, curled hair, it was down. Her eyes were hazel, with the most beautiful color green in them. She wore an elegant, red dress; her lips were painted to match the color.  
  
She smiled when she saw the look on his face, exposing bright, pearly teeth.  
  
"I'll take a paper," she repeated, laughing.  
  
"Oh, yeah, right," he said and handed her a pape.  
  
She handed him a coin, and began to walk off, looking back to smile, one last time. He had seen her before he knew it, but he basically thought that about every girl, but she seemed different, she struck a place near home.  
  
He watched her until she almost disappeared then finally got out of his daze and chased her.  
  
"Wait!" he yelled, he dodged a carriage, as he ran after her.  
  
He caught up to her in no time.  
  
"He-y" he said, "Wait- I –I…" he held his hand up as if to say, 'stop.'  
  
She smiled, "Yes?"  
  
"What's ya name?" he asked after he caught his breath.  
  
She laughed and continued on.  
  
"You're not gonna tell me it?" he asked again, keeping up with her.  
  
She just smiled and kept walking.  
  
"Tell me ya name, please," he said.  
  
"If you really want to know, you'll have to find me," she said and began to walk quicker, to lose him.  
  
He sighed as he watched her go; he could only pray that he would find her again.  
  
Ashley walked up the steps to the elegant home, and pranced to her room.  
  
"Ashley, did you take a walk without my permission?"  
  
Ashley cringed at the voice who asked her, her Aunt Mary.  
  
"I told James to tell you, I didn't think you would mind, it was just a walk," she said.  
  
"Just a walk?!" she began yelling, "The next time it's just a walk, I'll find you beaten in the streets! This isn't Connecticut Ashley, its New York City for Chris sake! You could have been killed!"  
  
Ashley began laughing uncontrollably, she couldn't help it, her Aunt was going insane.  
  
"Ashley Elizabeth! I can't believe you, this is serious! I'm being serious!" she yelled.  
  
She held her stomach; it began to hurt from all the laughing she was doing. She finally stopped and ran upstairs to her room.  
  
She kept thinking about how long it had been since she was last in the city, about five years ago. It had been that long since she had seen Jack, and she could only pray that'd he'd find her again. 


	4. The Plan

"So I met this goil, she was the prettiest thing, I swear, and do you know whose she reminded me of?" Jack asked Race.  
  
"Who?" he asked, excitement clouding his face.  
  
"Ashley, do you remember Ashley?" Jack asked.  
  
"Oooo yeah! Ashley, she was cute, and real good at sellin, what'd you say ta 'er?" Race asked.  
  
"Well I'm not sure if it's her yet, Race, but it sure looked like it, she was the most beautiful thing," Jack was going into a world of his own.  
  
"Jack! Wake up! Now, tell me what ya said to 'er!" Race ordered.  
  
"Well, I asked her for her name, but she wouldn't tell me, oh yeah she bought one of me papes foist, den I kept bugging her, then she says, 'if you really want to know you should find me' and she left," Jack explained.  
  
"Then whys you sittin heres for?!" Race practically screamed, "You should be out looking fah her!" he smacked him with the pape he didn't sell.  
  
"Alright! Alright!" Jack exclaimed holding his hands in the air, "But where am I supposed to look?"  
  
Ashley sat in her elegant room, writing the events of her day, in her journal. She finished the entry then began to doze of to sleep.  
  
A few minutes later Ashley was in a deep sleep, until she heard the tapping on the window.  
  
**I know it was short, but I wanted to leave ya hangin' and this was the best time, sorry guys!!** 


	5. Taking Action

Ashley sat up abruptly, at the sound, she looked around her room, just in case. Then walked over to the window to see who was there. She found Jack and Racetrack  
  
She put her fingers over her mouth to tell them quiet. She then opened the door, and the boys silently crept in.  
  
"What are you doing here?!" Ashley asked surprised, but happy.  
  
"Well youse said I could know ya name if I found ya, so I found ya," Jack said, his smile wide.  
  
She smiled back, "My name is Ashley."  
  
"Wait, are you….?"  
  
"Yeah, Ashley, from five years back," she said.  
  
"Oh my gawd, I cant believe it's you!" he said and ran over to hug her.  
  
She hugged him back and said, "I kept my promise," then kissed him on the cheek.  
  
Jack blushed, luckily Racetrack saved him, "Hey! Youse twos wanna get going?!"  
  
"Going where?" Ashley asked.  
  
"Well we wanted ta bring ya out ta eat, whaddya say?" Jack asked.  
  
"Mary will be mad, but all the more reason to go!" she said.  
  
All Jack could think of, was how much she had changed…for the better.  
  
"Guys, I gotta get dressed," Ashley explained.  
  
They just sat there, as if nothing was wrong with that.  
  
"I have to get dressed," she repeated.  
  
"Oh! Oh!" Jack said, and turned around.  
  
She rolled her eyes and laughed as she went into her closet to get clothes. She came out with a white, strapless dress on (I know I know, a little slutty for that time, but work with me heah!!) Her hair was put up partly and still in its beautiful curls.  
  
Jack sat and stared, she was so beautiful.  
  
"Jack, we're gonna go now, if ya wanna come?" Race asked his friend, noticing he was staring at her.  
  
"Oh! Right!" was all he could say and immediately snapped out of it.  
  
"Ok, we're gonna have to go out this window, we don't want my Aunt finding us," Ashley explained.  
  
Then Race answered,"You're gonna have ta come in dis way too, we wont be coming back till late." 


	6. The Crazy idea

"So what have you been doing since I was gone?" Ashley asked as they walked down the streets of New York to Tibby's.  
  
"Eh, just sellin' da papes, we went on strike ya know?" Jack explained.  
  
"Yeah, I heard," Ashley answered.  
  
"So what about youse, what have ya been up ta?" Jack asked.  
  
"My Aunt's whipped me into shape, well at least that's what she says, she sent me to a boarding school, and I've spent my whole life studying," Ashley explained with a sad laugh.  
  
"At least youse got an education, we'se just street rats, aint that right Race?" Jack asked.  
  
"Yeah, yeah," he mumbled in response.  
  
They soon reached Tibby's and Ashley was greeted by the Newsies.  
  
"Hey fellas, you remember Ashley, right?" Jack said as he came in.  
  
"Ashley?! Is that actually you?" Blink said as he got up.  
  
"Yeah it's me Blinky," Ashley said reaching out to hug him as he came towards her.  
  
All the Newsies soon got up to give her a hug, and Ashley was in heaven. (Could you imagine getting hugged by THOSE guys? Woohoo!!)  
  
They pulled up a chair for her, and began ordering.   
  
"So Ashley, why'd ya come back? Ta sell sa more papes?" Mush asked.  
  
"I wish, but we're just visiting, my Uncle has some business to take care of, and he has a house here, so we all came, besides I couldn't pass up the opportunity to see you guys!" she explained.  
  
"We're glad you came," Jack said from the seat beside her, he gave her his trademark smile, and she gave him the same one back.  
  
The other Newsies gave each other knowing looks.  
  
"When are ya leavin?" Blink asked her.  
  
"In a few days, I think, I really don't wanna go though, because I know that when I leave, I won't be coming back for a long time," Ashley explained.  
  
"Then stay here!" Jack exclaimed.  
  
"I'm not saying I don't want youse to stay Ash, but Jack has been known for his crazy ideas," Race admitted.  
  
"Hey! I think it's a good idea!" Jack said hitting Race, "Besides remember one of me other crazy ideas, remember what happened then, huh?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah, the same story every time," Race argued.  
  
"It's a good story, with a good plan," Jack said, "And so is this one."  
  
"Jack, I can't just leave my school, and how are we guaranteed that my Aunt will stay away? I mean she could very well just come back and get me, as much as I would like to sell papes with you, you know I can't," Ashley said sadly.  
  
Jack held his head down, "I guess you're right."  
  
Ashley felt bad, she wanted to stay as badly as Jack wanted her to, but she knew it was almost impossible.  
  
"Hey who says we go to Medda's?" Boots said, trying to lighten the mood.  
  
"Good idea, it's not crazy, let's go," Race said, putting out his cigarette as he got up.   
  
The rest followed, and they soon found themselves at Medda's.  
  
They sat in the audience watching her sing, Ashley closely beside Jack.  
  
Medda, seeing that most of her favorite Newsies were there, whispered something to the pianist, and a song that rang familiar to the Newsies ear, began to play.  
  
'High times, hard times, sometimes there's nothing to eat…'  
  
All of the crowd sang along and Ashley found herself, staring at Jack once again. He looked at her and smiled, thinking of how happy he was, she was here, even though he knew she couldn't stay for good…..  
  
  
  
**So whaddya think? Good? If ya wanna be in the story somehow I could fit ya in cuz I need to get the juices in my brain flowing with creative ideas, and some new characters may help…..thanx** 


	7. Thank god for windows

The next day, Ashley woke up in her own room, without Jack. She could barely remember what happened last night. Ah yes, now she remembered she got drunk, if Aunt Mary were to find out…..  
  
"ASHLEY!!" her Aunt's horrid voice broke her train of thought, and brought her back on earth.  
  
"What?!"Ashley yelled back, not nearly as loud as her Aunt.  
  
"We're going out to breakfast, and we would like you to join us!" her Aunt yelled back.  
  
Ashley shuddered at her Aunt's shrieking voice, of course the hangover didn't help, "Alright!" she answered.  
  
Ashley quickly took a shower, and got ready. She walked downstairs to find her "family" waiting impatiently.  
  
"Let's go!" her Aunt yelled, again.  
  
She began to pray that they didn't go anywhere near the Newsies or her Aunt may have an aneurysm if she even caught one looking at her, or even talking to her for that matter.  
  
They came near to the Newsies territory, but quickly turned and went to some fancy restaurant, a place where the boys she was interested in, wouldn't be found.  
  
They sat down, got service quickly, and ordered. Their food finally got there, and Ashley excused herself.  
  
"Mary, I have to use the restroom," Ashley said.  
  
"YES, you MAY, Ashley," she said emphasizing the fact that Ashley stated, instead of asking her "guardian".  
  
Ashley quickly left and headed for the bathroom, luckily she found a window.  
  
**I know, I know, short but when I thought of it, this would be a good place to leave you hanging so you wanna read more, im nice, aint i?** 


	8. To stay or not to stay

Ashley quietly opened the window and slid her (luckily) slim body through it. She ranb through the streets, she knew she'd eventually find a Newsies.  
  
"Heya Ashley," Blink said as Ashley came near.  
  
"Hey Blink, have you seen jack?" Ashley asked.  
  
"Ahhh, well Ise just saw him at da lodge, but ise think he left, maybe hes back on da streets, or try Tibby's," explained Blink.  
  
"Thanks Blinky!" Ashley said and ran off.  
  
Ashley first tried her luck at Tibby's, he wasn't there. She still kept the smile on her face, she couldn't wait to tell him the news, she was staying with him. She finally spotted Jack…  
  
Ashley stopped short, he was with another girl. They hugged for a while then let go, Jack whispered something in her ear, she kissed him on the cheek and left. Her red hair was sent flowing down her back leaving an orange glow all around her as she pranced off.  
  
Ashley wasn't just sad, she was confused. Over the past few days she had begun to like Jack, like him a lot, and it seemed that he liked her too. Now he was with another girl, all her hopes had diminished.   
  
"Ashley!" Jack practically yelled as he saw Ashley approach him.  
  
"Hey," she said, with less enthusiasm.  
  
He grasped her in a hug, but even if he wasn't her property or she wasn't his, she felt played.  
  
"Jack, I have to tell you something," Ashley said.  
  
Jack's beautiful eyes flooded with concern, "What's wrong?"  
  
"I'm here to say goodbye, I'm leaving tomorrow, I probably won't see you for a while,"  
  
"What?!" Jack yelled, more from sadness than anger.  
  
"I'm leaving tomorrow," she repeated, she sounded sad or something, but she was just void of emotion, she didn't know how to feel.  
  
"No you can't!" Jack yelled, "Ya just got 'ere and we'se becomin friends again, GOOD friends, everything was perfect with you here, I need you here," he finished.  
  
"Jack, you have the Newsies, they'll always be there for you," Ashley said, trying to make him feel better.  
  
"But you'se me favorite Newsie," said Jack, stepping closer to hold her hand in his, with intensity.   
  
"I'm not a Newsie Jack, just a schoolgirl," Ashley said.  
  
"You'se not just a schoolgoil! If you were just a schoolgoil, I wouldn't like ya this much!" Jack exclaimed.  
  
Ashey choked back tears, tears of anger, confusion, and sadness, "I have to go."  
  
She hugged him, and left, leaving him standing alone, and sad.  
  
She then went around town, finding the Newsies so she could say goodbye. She found most, and Race was last on her list.  
  
"Hey Race," Ashley said approaching him in front of Tibby's.  
  
"Heya Ash," said Race as he lit a cigarette, "What's crackin'?"  
  
"Well, I just came by to say goodbye, I'm leaving tomorrow," Ashley said, clearly her emotion now was sadness.  
  
"Awww, so soon? You didn't want to stay wit us Newsies?"   
  
She laughed, "Na, it's just I have to get back to school, I can't leave school, of course I would love to stay with you guys."  
  
He nodded his head and took a puff of his cigarette.  
  
"I have a question Race," Ashley started.  
  
"Ask away."  
  
"Does Jack have a girlfriend?" Ashley asked tentatively.  
  
"Naw, he likes you, why?" Race asked.  
  
She blushed a little, then continued, "Well I saw him with a girl today in the park, they hugged and she kissed him and stuff, and I guess I got jealous and thought it was his girlfriend."  
  
"Did she have red hair?" Race asked.  
  
"Yeah, why?" Ashley asked back.  
  
"Ahhh, Gemini." 


	9. Embarassment

"Gemini? Who's Gemini?" Ashley asked.  
  
"Jack and her are good friends, she's been havin sum troubles lately, and he's been helping her out," explained Race.  
  
"Friend, that's all?" Ashley asked.  
  
"Yup, nuttin more," Race said.  
  
Ashley felt embarrassed, she hadn't been very nice to Jack, and she had thought it was his girlfriend, she had too many false assumptions, she had to leave, and now she had a good, real reason to.  
  
"Well, I'll see ya, Race, I'll really miss you," Ashley said reaching out to hug him.  
  
Race was surprised, he had thought she would stay now that she found out Jack wasn't taken by Gemini, "I'll miss ya too kid."  
  
"Hey! Who you callin' kid?!" Ashley said, pretending to be mad.  
  
"Ha, that's right, Ise fagot, you'se a woman now," Race said, as he rubbed his chin.  
  
"Ah, thanks Race, you forgot I was a woman," Ashley said playfully.  
  
"Na, I'm jus playin," he said.  
  
They looked at each other one more time, each giving a small smile, then Ashley left.  
  
"ASHLEY!!"   
  
"Jesus," Ashley mumbled under her breath in excitement.  
  
It was her Aunt Mary, figured; only she would want to make an embarrassment of herself, in order to make an even bigger embarrassment of Ashley.  
  
"Where have you been!?" her Aunt said as she advanced forward towards her niece.  
  
"I was just saying goodbye to some friends," Ashley said.  
  
"Oh, so this time you're not going to put up a fight to leave," her Aunt said, mocking her.  
  
"No, I'm not," Ashley said, scowling back at her Aunt's dry sarcasm.  
  
Meanwhile, Race sat on a bench in Central Park, talking to Gemini.  
  
"So howse the family doin'?" asked Race.  
  
"Eh, they're good, but you know how it is," she explained, "I mean ever since my Father was killed, it's been hard, I mean now I had to drop out of school to help support my family, and little Morgan has already started to become an adult, and do adult things and she's only ten, plus Allen dropped out of school as well, and now we're both working, it's just been so hard."  
  
Race was surprised, Gemini didn't usually let her guard down like that, at least not without a fight.  
  
"It'll all get better, jus you wait," he said.  
  
"I hope so," she said.  
  
"Hey, youse been talkin' to Jack?" Race asked suddenly.  
  
"Yeah, why?" she asked in return to his question.  
  
"What has he told you?" Race asked again.  
  
"He just was talking about this girl, I forgot her name, and how the Newsies are doing, and then we talked about my stuff and I left, why what's going on?" she stated, then asked, again.  
  
"Well, let's see heah, Jack and dis girl, whose name is Ashley, they like each other, see? And well she saw you guys today, and she was thinking of stayin wit us even though her Aunt was gonna make 'er come back to Connecticut, and so, yeah, she saw you and thought youse two was togetha, and so she kinda got discouraged, and now she decided to leave, I thought you should talk to 'er or something," Race explained.  
  
"Uhh, yeah I guess, is she nice? Cause if she aint nice, I'm not gonna deal with her," Gemini warned Race, holding her hands up to emphasize.  
  
"Yeah, she's real nice, you two should get along great," Race said.  
  
"I hope so, cause at the rate I'm going we're gonna have to."  
  
"Why's that?" Race asked.  
  
"Well, I mean Jack and I are good friends, and we spend time together, so if he likes her enough, and if she stays, then she's gonna be with him a lot and…"  
  
"Ok, ok, I gotcha," Race interrupted her, "So ya gonna do it?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
  
**I have a basketball tournament all this weekend in Providence, RI so i may not be able to update unless i do it tomorrow morning, SORRY! but dont worry, i'll be back soon enough, and i'll try to get a couple of chapters in tomorrow, ~**Chelci- no prob for that review, ya know i got ya back gurl- haha toodles**~ * 


	10. Fiery Red Hair

Ashley reluctantly sat at home, packing her bags. Her Aunt Mary was cheerfully singing downstairs, she knew Ashley was pissed, and she liked it, she always liked to have power over her.   
  
Ashley finally finished, and went downstairs.  
  
"Why, hello Ashley!" Aunt Mary said as Ashley strode towards her, "What a beautiful morning it is, eh?"  
  
"Yeah, uh beautiful," Ashley said sarcastically as she rolled her eyes.  
  
Aunt Mary raised her head and cackled, as if that was the funniest thing in the world. It wasn't funny.  
  
"Are we leaving soon?" Ashley asked, grabbing a strawberry from the counter and popping it in her mouth.  
  
"Yes, very shortly, can you wait that long?" Aunt Mary asked, sarcastically.  
  
"Not if you can," Ashley stated.  
  
Aunt Mary gave Ashley a hard look. Ashley got up, grabbed another strawberry for the way, and went outside. She sat on the front stoop, not caring if her pink dress got dirty. She wondered what Jack was doing right now; she popped the other strawberry in her mouth and began to think of him. Just as she started she heard a rustling in the bushes. She craned her neck to see what it was. All she heard was a noise, and then all of a sudden out jumped a girl with fiery red hair, and she knew instantly who it was.  
  
**Sorry it's so short I think I'll write another one, hehe** 


End file.
